Prisoners
by Mantichorus
Summary: Set during the game. What happened during that week when Tifa was unconcious? Find out inside! Rating due to Cid Highwind. Day 2 up! In two parts
1. Prologue

_A/N: This story is based in game. It's based on the week between Cloud giving Sephiroth the Black Materia and Tifa awakening in Junon. This is only the prologue, and so will be shorter than the average chapter. I'm not yet decided whether to do separate chapters for each character/pair, or to do it simply day-by-day. Please give some feedback on your opinions._

_Disclaimer: Final Fantasy Seven and all related characters and terms belong to Square-Enix. Enjoy._

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**Prisoners.**

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_Prologue: Day 5._

Cid drummed his fingers impatiently against the tabletop. Where the hell had the kid gotten? He knew it was a bad idea letting her go out alone. Prob'ly halfway back to Wutai by now…

"Hey, hey, hey! Watch it!!!" A voice called shrilly.

"Move it!" A young female voice snapped back, before muttering deliberately just at hearing level; "Lousy Shin-Ra SOB…"

"I heard that!" The first voice shouted. Cid sat up. Kid done good. Cait Sith bounced into the bar, with Yuffie herding him on with several sharp jabs from her shuriken.

"Got 'im, old man!!" She called cheerfully to Cid.

"I ain't no old man, kid." Cid growled in reply, taking a drag on his cigarette. "Okay, you treacherous piece of filth. I'd be just as happy not to see yer mug again, but the Devil's driving here…" He glared at the robot. "You in, Cat?"

Cait Sith frowned and scratched behind an ear, before answering, "Am I in what?"

"The fu—" Cid shook his head. "Gettin' the others out! You in?"

Cait grinned. "Sure!" His face suddenly went serious. "We're gonna have to move fast." His voice dropped to a whisper. "You see… Rufus has this idea that holding a public execution for Tifa and Barret is a good way to get people's minds offa Meteor… That's not for a couple days, so's they can get the press in. I was already planning on bustin' in then…" Cid snorted disbelievingly. "The main prob's Vincent and Red… They're being shipped out to Midgar tomorrow!"

"So… we gotta move tonight?" Yuffie asked curiously.

"Or tomorrow." Cid stated, and took another drag on his cigarette. "Ah, fuck. We'll do it tomorrow, it'll be easier."

* * *

Cid walked through the streets of Upper Junon glaring at some unspecific point at his shoes, puffing on his cigarette like an irate chimney. Presently the cigarette flew from his lips, as it got too short.

"Fuck," He growled angrily, and took another cigarette from its packet.

"…C-captain?" A familiar voice asked. He recognised it immediately.

"Birch, you no-good sunvabitch, I told you to stay with my goddamn plane!" He yelled, looking up at the man.

Birch jumped backwards. "Captain… she's here… in Junon."

Cid's eyes opened wide. "I'll be… How many of the crew are 100% loyal to Shin-Ra?"

Birch's eyes glinted. He got what the Captain was asking. "Only the pilot… His popa's some big-time Soldier, so he's an all Shin-Ra boy. Don't worry; remember Charlie, my second cousin? He just graduated flight school. He hasn't flown her yet, but he's the best I can manage."

"Good enough. Now; here's what I want you to do…"

**

* * *

**

"…Yuffie?"

The ninja looked up from the materia that she was playing with in her hand. "Uh-huh?"

Cait frowned and fidgeted uncomfortably. "Does… Does Cid hate me?"

She shrugged. "Don't think so. I mean, you're with us now, right? One of the good guys…"

Cait giggled. "You have no idea how funny YOU saying that sounds…"

Yuffie rolled her eyes irritably. "What-EVER, Cait. Just because I stole their materia… Hey, is that why you were the only one who didn't treat me like a…" Her face screwed up as she tried to remember the word Vincent had used. "…A-a leper?"

"Hmm?" Cait scratched behind his ear again. "I guess I did… and that would be why, too…"

The door banged opened, and Cid strode in grinning.

"What's the good word, boss?" Cait asked.

"I've got us the perfect scheme. Lissen up, numbskulls…"

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_A/N: Well? Whaddya think? Please, R&R._


	2. Day 1

_A/N: Wow, what a response..._

_nights-into-dreams, I think that's a really nice compliment you gave me! Thanks!_

_GlitterDemon, I'm glad you liked my comparison of Cid to an irate chimney in the last chapter! Vincent and Red being shipped out will be explained in a future chapter..._

_Skin Infections- WTF happened? You had a different username when I received the e-mail alert, then it said you were no longer at , then you show up on the review screen w/ your new username in tow._

Now: this is the first day- yup, I gave you a part of the fifth day before the first. I don't like to start my stories with a great deal of action, and the first day is when Cloud hands the Black Materia to Sephiroth, so...

_Anyway, the same disclaimer from last time applies, including the bit about enjoying this! Read on..._

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"Did you see it!!! It's Sephiroth! So he IS here! This is perfect! Both Jenova's Reunion and Sephiroth's will! They won't be diffused into the Lifestream, but gathered here! Mwa, ha, ha..." Hojo cackled.

"What are you so happy about, Professor? You know what this means, don't you? Cloud has the Black Materia! Sephiroth is going to summon Meteor! Every single person is going to die!" Tifa cried distraughtly.

Rufus shook his head sorrowfully. "Whatever I say is too little... too late..." He sighed. Suddenly, determinedly, he looked up at Avalanche. "We must evacuate. I want you all to come with me. There is still much more I want to hear."

As the group left, Barret yelled up at his companion: "Yo! Cloud! Knock it off!" If Cloud had heard, he certainly didn't care.

"Cloud------!!!" Tifa yelled, terrified of what her friend had done.

"Teef! We gotta get outta here...NOW!!!" Barret yelled over the sound of the approaching collapse of the cave they were in. Tifa didn't move, so the big man grunted, threw his left arm around her waist, and pulled her away to the airship that he had seen at Junon. Cid was getting angry about something.

"My ship! Rufus, you fuckin' little chocobo-shagger, what the hell is she doin' here?!"

"Saving your life, Cid." Vincent said quietly. Two things happened simultaneously- Cid calmed down, and Hojo noticed Vincent for the first time. All colour drained from the scientist's face.

"Y-you?! N-no... it can't be...!"

"It is, Akira." Vincent answered softly. Hojo's face turned red with rage and he stormed off.

"That his first name?" Cid asked. Vincent nodded in reply, and boarded the ship.

"I think it means... 'Intelligence', in Wutain..." Nanaki said slowly, before shrugging his bestial shoulders, and entering the ship.

"All of you, on board now!" Reno of the Turks shouted down the ramp. "The pilot's about ready to take off!"

"Shit!" Cid shouted and pelted up the ramp, swiftly followed by the remaining people, both Avalanche and Shin-Ra.

* * *

The Planet's skin broke, gushing Lifestream everywhere as the Weapons broke free. Two empty blue eyes watched as this happened. Cloud Strife didn't even blink as the Lifestream engulfed him. Sephiroth glared as the young man disappeared.

'_He was weak. He was not Cetra. I discard you, Cloud Strife. You are a puppet without a use...'_ Sephiroth thought to himself, purging his mental link with the former leader of Avalanche.

'_Soon. Soon I shall rise.' _He thought wildly, and then smirked in the void in which he was imprisoned.

'_And my second pawn is already in place...'_

* * *

The power of the Planet streaked past the Highwind. The turbulence created caused Yuffie Kisaragi, heir to the Pagoda of Wutai, to lose her lunch.

"SHIT!" Cid shrieked as a Weapon stared straight at them. It's eyes narrowed, and then it was gone...

"Damn!!! Tifa!" Barret shouted, as the young woman collapsed on the deck.

"Everyone, inside. NOW." Vincent quietly commanded. Avalanche silently filed in from the deck. Nanaki paused.

"Vincent?"

"Yes?"

"This... is bad, isn't it?"

"No... That's being optimistic." Nanaki turned at this. Had Vincent just made a joke? He couldn't tell, as the taciturn man had gone inside...

_Day 1._

"...Mr Vi... President?"

Rufus Shin-Ra sighed irritably. "Yes, Heidegger?"

"...What are we going to do with Hojo and Avalanche?"

The idiot had a point, Rufus supposed. Hojo had left Shin-Ra without any warning, and Avalanche was a terrorist cell. "Avalanche... we'll lock them up once we get to Junon. Decide what to do then." Heidegger nodded in agreement. "Hojo... Hmm. I'll decide what to do with him later." He cast a quizzical look at Heidegger. "Who was that man that Hojo recognised? The one in Avalanche? I'm sure I saw him at Rocket Town."

"I'm... not sure, sir. I'll ask Hojo immediately."

"Will he tell the truth, though?"

"..." Heidegger just stared at the young president. "...Don't worry sir, I'll get the truth outta him! Gya ha ha ha!"

"...I thought I told you to stop that stupid hoarse laugh."

"Gya... ... ... Sorry."

"Psst! Hey, Vincent! Do you know how to lip read?" Yuffie hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

"...We're going to spend some time in Junon's cells. The red haired man in white... Is that Rufus Shin-Ra?" Vincent murmured.

"Yes, that is he..." Nanaki whispered. A bit louder he said; "How is Tifa?"

"Unconscious." A Shin-Ra medic said calmly. "She should recover within a week--"

"That ain't any good!" Barret barked angrily.

"Mr Wallace. If you and your companions wish to remain onboard, shut up." Rufus snarled.

* * *

"Hojo!"

'_Hmph. What does that idiot want?'_

"Yes, Heidegger?" Hojo answered levelly.

"The President wishes to know who that man with the claw is."

"Valentine."

The colour left Heidegger's face in a shot. "N-no... He's dead. You said so your--"Heidegger realised what had happened. "You son-of-a-bitch." He snarled, grabbing Hojo by the lapels. "If he had still been in the Turks instead of you using him as a test subject, we might have gotten the Ancient years ago!"

Hojo wriggled uncomfortably in the hands of the Head of the Turks. "He was going to interfere with the Jenova Project. President Shin-Ra said that was to take priority above all else!"

"The old man was an idiot." Both turned to see Rufus standing next to them. He glared at Hojo. "Did you tell my father the truth?"

Hojo paused for a long while, trying to decide the best answer. In the end, he decided to tell the truth: "No. He was as ignorant as Heidegger." Heidegger raised his fist to hit Hojo, but was cut off by a gesture by Rufus.

"I'll deal with you later, Hojo." Rufus stated coolly. Hojo realised that the new President wouldn't be as easy to fool as his father.

* * *

The airship landed at Junon.

"Cuff them." Heidegger ordered. Reno, Rude and Elena obeyed quietly and efficiently. Once they had finished, Heidegger said; "Now, him." Hojo looked up, startled, but Rude had already grabbed him, while Reno attached the cuffs with a small smirk on his face.

"Take them away." Rufus barked, and threw a loose strand of hair back onto the top of his head. It had been a busy day...

* * *

_A/N: Well, here it is. Sorry that it is (relatively) short considering the amount of time, but in a word: exam preparation (wait, that's two words...)_

_I also have to say that I don't know when I'll next update, as the college is gonna close for the summer, and as I have said in one of my earlier fics, my home computer is a bit temperamental. (More mental than temper on it's part... lol)_

_Anyway, I'll appreciate any and all reviews (excluding flamers- thank God they seem to have passed me by so far... touch wood.)._

_If I don't update before, expect to hear from me again in September! Happy hols, comrades! _

_Oh, and sorry about Cid's language at the beginning... What was I thinking...?_

_(N.B- Akira means "intelligence, brightness" in Japanese.)_

_Additional A/N: New academic year, AND writer's block?! Yah!_

_Sorry all, but I don't know when I'll update next, for the reasons mentioned above. _

_Thanks for your patience._


	3. Day 2, Part I

_A/N: Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry…!_

_I apologise for the delay, but things have been a tad chaotic for me for a while, and I've had a MASSIVE writer's block. Again, sorry for the delay. And thanks for all of the encouraging reviews. As a way of showing my gratitude (and that my writer's block is conquered) this chapter is the longest so far (possibly in any of my fanfics), and has a lot of character moments including my first real experience of writing the Turks._

_As a matter of fact, I've decided to split this day in two. And I've had to take some stuff planned for day two over to day three._

_Okay – time for a quick recap:_

_In the prologue, set five days after Cloud had handed Sephiroth the Black Materia, Cid was impatiently waiting in a Junon bar, until Yuffie herded Cait Sith in. Cait then revealed that Rufus was planning to execute Tifa and Barret, while Vincent and Nanaki were going to be transported to Midgar. Meeting up with one of the crew of the Highwind, Cid comes up with a cunning plan to rescue their friends._

_On the first day, Cloud gives Sephiroth the Black Materia, and Avalanche and the Shin-Ra escape upon the Highwind. Heidegger almost thumps Hojo when he discovers that Vincent, who Hojo had reported dead, is still alive. Arriving in Junon, Avalanche and Hojo are put under arrest._

_Well, sit back and I hope you enjoy the third instalment of 'Prisoners'._

_Disclaimer: I still own nothing in this fic. Square-Enix does.

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_Day 2._

Hojo glared out of the window of the room he'd been put in. How dare they arrest him! Rufus must be under the delusion that the scientist leaving meant that he'd severed all links with the Shin-Ra. He still had the knowledge of the Facility, which Rufus surely wouldn't know about yet…

'_Hojo…'_

The scientist whirled on the spot, and glanced everywhere. Where did that voice come from?

'_Hojo…'_

There it was again. It sounded like it came from his own--

An energy equal to approximately 200 watts grounded itself in Hojo's mind. The scientist's mouth opened in a silent scream, as his eyes glazed over behind his thick opaque spectacles.

And two glowing aquamarine eyes looked on from the shadows. His form may be held fast in solid crystal, but his psycho-neural net – his soul – was free to walk where he wished. He walked over to the scientist.

Presently, Sephiroth smiled.

"Hello, Professor. Mother and I have a job for you…"

* * *

Yuffie looked down at Tifa sleeping on one of the two beds in the room. "Gawd, what a mess…" She whispered to herself, and shook her head sadly. "Gawd!" She shrieked, causing the other members of Avalanche to startle and look at her concernedly. "First Aerith, then Cloud, and now--"

"We haven't lost Tifa." Vincent broke in harshly. "Not yet." He added softer.

Yuffie nodded, and sniffed. "Y-yeah, I know, b-but… it feels like we're being torn apart…"

"HA! That'll only happen if we let 'em, and if they try, we'll kick their asses from here to the soddin' Promised Land." Cid laughed, his voice full of false bravado.

Nanaki glanced at the pilot with a slight grimace. He slowly strolled over to Yuffie and sat at her feet and looked up at her face. "We'll be fine. Tifa will wake up, and we'll then go and find Cloud." He said quietly. "I promise."

Yuffie sniffed and smiled half-heartedly. "Aww...thanks Red." She threw her arms around his neck. "You're a good kitty." She giggled slightly when Nanaki growled disapprovingly at being called a kitty.

"…Is this is bad time?" The assembled members of Avalanche turned and looked at the usually guarded doorway. Rude of the Turks was standing there, looking slightly awkward.

"What you want, baldy?" Barret growled.

Rude tilted his head so his shades slid to the end of his nose and peered over them at Barret for a while. "I'll overlook that baldy comment if it's all the same to you." He replied, pushing his shades back into place. He then cleared his throat. "Ms Kisaragi? I've been told it's time for you to have your shower."

Yuffie's face fell. "I'm supposed to take a shower…with YOU chaperoning?" She looked like she was about to start screaming again.

Rude's face started to turn to the same colour as Vincent's cape. "Those…are my orders, I'm afraid."

"No…FRICKIN'…way." Yuffie said, breathing deeply to keep her composure. "Your bosses want me to wash myself? Get… Blondie. Y'know, that female Turk…"

"Elena." Nanaki fed her through the corner of his mouth.

"Right, Elena." Yuffie pounced on the name. She pointed at Rude. "YOU go find Elena, or explain to whichever Shin-Ra fuck is in charge why you went back with a bit of the furniture embedded in your ass!"

Rude stared at Yuffie for a while. "Right. Well. I'm glad we managed to get that sorted out. I'll be back." He walked out closing the door behind him.

"What the hell're those bastards thinkin'?!" Cid finally exploded. "Sending a man to watch a kid bathe to make sure she don't pull anything?! Those bloody perverted…"

"Bastards?" Vincent supplied dryly. Everyone turned and looked at him. It was the first time any of them had ever heard the former Turk use a profanity.

* * *

Rude exhaled as he walked down the hallway, thanking every holy name that he could think of that he'd managed to get out of that. He'd not been looking forward to that. Even Reno, the original self-styled 'ladieeezzz'-man, had balked slightly when the order had been given. He wasn't sure how old the Wutain girl was, but however old she was, it wasn't right keeping an eagle's eye on her to make sure that she didn't try anything. In fact, he was slightly surprised that neither Heidegger or Scarlet had told Elena to do it originally - although, he guessed that would require a degree of humanity that he suspected the senior members of Shin-Ra were lacking.

"Hey, where's the princess, yo?"

Rude turned, knowing whom it was before he'd even finished. "Hello Reno. What do you mean, 'princess'?"

Reno threw his head back with a cocky grin. "Just been checkin' the records, muh man. Turns out, Yuffie Kisaragi doesn't just share the same last name as the ruler of Wutai - Godo's her papa, yo."

Rude looked at his colleague. "And they wanted me to watch her shower?" Rude shook his head. "Anyway, she's threatened me with GBH unless I get Elena to take over for me."

Reno picked his shades off his forehead and itched thoughtfully at the side of his mouth with one of the arms. "Smart girl, yo. Maybe you shoulda told her about your feelings about Tifa to reassure her?"

"Hhnn." Rude grunted.

"…No change in her condition, then?" Reno asked sympathetically. He put a conspiratorial arm around Rude's shoulders. "Tell you what, yo. We find 'Lena, give her the job of escorting Kisaragi-hime to the showers, then we'll go get drunk. And tomorrow, I'll let you join me in a little job that Rufe wanted me to do by my lonesome. It'll make you feel better, yo, promise." Reno grinned evilly. "We gotta take Hojo to see the bigwigs."

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_A/N: On to Day Two, Part Two! You can review now if you wanna break._


	4. Day 2, Part II

_A/N: Right, on with Day Two, Part Two of "Prisoners"!_

_Disclaimer: Me still own no FFVII.

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Elena bit her lip as she waited for the call to go through. She heard a dull click over the PHS as the call connected. A familiar voice sighed. "Who is it?"

"Uhmmm…"

"Ah, Elena. How're you?"

"I-I'm fine…sir."

There was a deep chuckle. "No need for the 'sir', Elena. How're Reno and Rude? You keeping them honest?"

Elena smiled and blushed slightly. "Y-yeah. They're both fine." She paused. "We've caught Avalanche!"

There was a pause. "Really?"

She felt a little crestfallen. They'd caught the people who'd hospitalised him, and all he could say was 'Really'? "Yeah." She paused before saying. "I-I'm sorry, I tried before, but I…kinda messed up."

"That's OK. But, uh, why are you sorry?"

Elena was slightly taken aback by this. "Well…I messed up catching Cloud and his friends after what they did to you--"

There was a slight splutter. "Wuh-what?! Is that what everyone there thinks? It was Sephiroth who sliced me up, not Cloud." There was a slight grunt down the phone - Elena supposed he was adjusting his position.

"…oh." She said in a quiet voice. "…I feel like an idiot."

"Well, that's better than actually being one." She was reassured down the phone.

She glanced around unsure. "I…I have some bad news. It's, uh, about Aer…Aerith." She choked slightly.

There was a long pause. "…Sephiroth?" She hadn't heard him use that tone of voice before except once when she'd met him in training. Cold and hard.

"I-I'm afraid so." She heard something at the other end of the line - maybe it was a nurse asking him to finish the call soon, or maybe he was swearing quietly. There was a long pause.

"…I'm sorry, Elena."

"Wuh?" That wasn't what she'd been expecting. "Wh-why, s-sir?"

"I said not to worry about that formality. I'm sorry, but it must seem that I've gone to a great length to get out of that dinner I promised you."

Elena went beetroot. "Th-that's o-okay…"

"As soon as I get out of here, I'll make it up to you." She was promised. "I spoke to the doctor yesterday. He says I should be out in about a month." There was another grunt. "Heh, didn't realise getting myself cut by the Masamune would result in such a long hospitalisation." There was a sound from the other end of the connection again. "Ok, ok." She heard him sigh. "Sorry, Elena, but I've just been told that I should get off the phone."

"Oh, OK." She paused. "It…was nice talking to you again."

She was surprised of the warmth in the reply. "It was good hearing from you again. Take care of yourself, and keep Reno out of too much trouble. Rude, I trust without adult supervision."

Elena found herself grinning uncontrollably. "Will do, sir." She replied jokingly.

She was rewarded with another chuckle. "Good. I hope to hear from you again soon. Bye."

"Bye." She replied quietly, and waited for the connection to click off. As soon as it had, she sighed deeply.

"Hey, 'Lena!" She rolled her eyes at Reno's loud hail from down the hall. She turned and saw him strolling towards her, with Rude alongside. Something was up. "That the boss you just got off the phone with, yo?" Reno asked as they came up.

"Hey Elena." Rude said almost simultaneously.

"Hey guys." She smiled. "Yeah. He's doing fine. And, uh, it wasn't Cloud who cut him." She swallowed slightly embarrassed. "It was Sephiroth."

Rude grinned and stuck a hand out at Reno. "Told you."

Reno groaned, rolled his eyes and stuck his hand in his pocket, rummaging around for some money.

Elena looked at them, feeling slightly appalled. "Just WHAT had you two put money on?"

"Rude had thought that we'd find out that it WAS Sephiroth sooner or later, I thought we wouldn't ever be sure." Reno explained. He eventually brought his empty hands out of his pocket. "Sorry, yo, I'll have to owe you for now."

Rude tutted with a mock frown on his face, as he shook his head. He turned his attention to Elena with a slightly embarrassed smile. "I have a favour to ask."

"Shoot." Elena nodded.

Rude looked at her blankly. "But…you're the one with the gun." He said monotonously. Without breaking his stride, leaving Reno grinning and Elena slightly in shock at the joke, he continued: "Anyway, I'd been asked by the Powers That Be to, uh…" Rude broke off, and looked away.

"Escort the lovely Yuffie Kisaragi to the showers." Reno finished.

"…Right." Rude affirmed uncomfortably. "I…was slightly hesitant--"

"Well, yeah." Elena nodded. "You're not a pervert, unlike some."

"You mean me, right, yo?" Reno said, pretending that he was offended. "I resent that."

"--BUT," Rude said, in an attempt to regain control of this conversation. "She downright refused, and told me that unless I got you to take over for me, she would insert a piece of furniture into me…anally." Reno burst out howling with laughter. "She was unspecific as to which piece she would use." Rude finished, glaring at Reno from behind his glasses.

Elena bit on her lip, and covered her mouth with her hand. "Awww, muh man!" Reno guffawed. "You'd never told me that part, yo!"

"I, uh, yeah." Elena grinned, uncovering her mouth so Rude could hear her. "Don't worry, I've got this one."

"Appreciated." Rude muttered, still looking irked at Reno. "Look, either stop laughing, or I'll use your own shock rod on you."

* * *

Cid had started to doze in one of the chairs in the room, which Vincent was glad of. He could understand the pilot's frustration and outrage about Elena not being sent originally, but it seemed that Cid hadn't had much experience with the real Shin-Ra - which was no surprise, as it was only members of the Turks that saw the full picture, and the odd SOLDIER 1st Class - and such humanity was beneath them. His upper lip twitched in anger as he realised that if it was still Heidegger in charge of the Turks, then such common decency would be seen as below a Wutaian, even one of such high rank as Yuffie. He scoffed angrily.

The young girl was behind him pacing slightly as she waited for Elena's arrival. She looked up at him. "What's wrong?" She asked quietly.

Vincent kept his back to her, because even though it wasn't visible in his reflection, he could still feel the Galian Beast writ large upon his face in contempt. "…Shin-Ra doesn't change." He replied eventually, with no small measure of bitterness. Still, had he ever expected it to? If a soul as kind and pure as Lucrecia could be corrupted and perverted by them, what hope had anyone of changing the nature of the demon?

Yuffie scoffed herself behind him. There was a bitterness and anger in her words that cut at Vincent's heart. "Shin-Ra doesn't WANT to change, Vince. They're quite happy being amoral little bastards, lining their own pockets."

Vincent felt enough of the Beast had faded from him to risk turning towards her. "There's at least one of them who wants to change." He muttered quietly.

Her eyes narrowed. "Cait Sith? You think we can trust him? Or whoever his controller is?"

Vincent took a small step towards her, just enough so that he could impress his words upon her without intimidating her. "Remember, I was once a Turk. One of the best of the time, too, although I don't like to brag. Part of our job was knowing who to trust. We didn't get that quick enough… in training, we were dropped from the Turks, in the field…we died. I lived that life for years." Yuffie's eyes were wide staring at him. "I know who to trust."

There was a long pause, during which Vincent started to walk away. He noticed the curious faces of Nanaki and Barret studying the two of them, and felt his cheeks flush slightly. He hated being the centre of attention.

"Why?" Yuffie's voice was strained slightly. "Why…did you join the Turks?"

Why? He felt like just breaking down in insane laughter, for there was no real reason, but that was not an option. "…Mainly…? To spite my father, for not being there when my mother died. He was a scientist, you see. Back when Shin-Ra hadn't even been properly founded. His work meant he was away a lot."

Yuffie went quiet, and looked away. "How did things end between you?"

"…He…died. During an expedition." Vincent smirked humourlessly. "Turns out, Lucrecia was his assistant on that study, and she blamed herself for his death." He shook his head.

"Uh… 'scuse me for asking, but…was that Professor Lucrecia Crescent?"

"Goddammit, don't any of you Shin-Ra spooks knock?" Barret growled quietly at Elena who was standing in the doorway.

"Sorry." She smiled embarrassedly. "I, uh, didn't want to disturb you guys any more than I had to, and…" Her eyes fell to Cid, who had begun snoring. "…I was unsure whether any of you were asleep."

"In answer to your question…yes, it was Lucrecia Crescent." Vincent acknowledged as soon as he felt it was proper.

Elena's eyes widened. "Oh. Wow, you really are THE Vincent Valentine…I, uh, woulda thought you'd be older by now." Her eyes widened even more, and her mouth opened and closed a couple times. "Oh…God, that didn't come out right."

Vincent couldn't help but smile, albeit grimly. "Don't worry about it. It's due to Hojo's work."

The female Turk's nose wrinkled. "Eurgh. Don't mention him - I had to be his bodyguard once. Never again." She suddenly seemed to remember why she'd come here. "Uh, Ms Kisaragi? I've been asked to accompany you to the showers."

"Call me Yuffie, Blondie." The ninja replied, as she walked out through the door.

"Elena." The Turk corrected, closing the door behind them.

* * *

_A/N: Well, I think we'll call it a day there. Unfortunately, I, like Joss Whedon, like to hear myself write. So my characters make with the yak-yak, and then we go all over the shop as things conceived as fillers take centre stage... _

_Again, I'd like to apologise about the delay of these two chapters, but now I have returned! I won't make any promises about when the next chapter will be posted, but rest assured I am working on it...amongst other stories. Oh yes. My writer's block did not stifle my creativity, but I could only write about a chapter for a new story, and then...well, sorry._

_I may split a day in two again in the future if I think of too much for one day to be contained in one chapter. Hopefully, though, I should get about enough for a chapter a day from now on._

_Please read and review, and I hope you enjoyed this rather long ramble through a day in the world of FFVII._


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